Warren



W. GALE.

Straw Cutter'.

Patented 1an. 29, 1867E www atten Erstes @cientf-ift.

MPROVEMENT 1N STBAW GUTTERS. i

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TO ALL WHOMIT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, WARREN GALE, oi' Chicopee Falls, in the county ofHampden, and State of Massachusette, have invented a new and usefulimprovement in Machines for Cutting Straw, Hay', Corn-Stalks, Sugar-Cane, and, other materials; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full and exact description thereof, reference 1neing had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification-- Figure 1being a transverse section of the cutting apparatus of a revolving-knifestraw cutter, showing'g'my improvement applied thereto.

Figure 2, a side view of the pressure cylinder thereof, to which my saidimprovement is applied.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in both figures.Y

My improvement is upon that general class of straw cutters, in which theknives are attached to a revolving cutter cylinder, and out against arevolving pressure cylinder. The nature of my invention consists inmaking that part of the pressure cylinder against which thc knife (orvknives) cuts, of strips Aet' copper, or any suitable alloy thereof withanother metal or metals, which does not, to an injurious extent, departfrom those peculiar properties that copper alone of metals possesses,and that render it especially applicable to this purpose, when the knifeand pressure cylinders are geared together. These essential propertiesof copper are, first, a 'peculiar tenacity or toughness, which preventsabrasion and yielding; second, a suiiicient degree of softness, not t0injure the cutting edges of the knives acting against the same; and,third, at the same time, as'much firmness and elasticity under pressureand weer, as are ever found to he necessary, in addition to the otherproperties mentioned, to fulfill the purpose intended. These leadingproperties combined I do not find in any other metal or composition ofmetals, as proved by numerous and various experiments, extending througha considerable number oi'years, and thoroughly tested. All other metalsand alloys soft enough not to act injurionsly on the cutters, are toosoft and yielding, not possessing sutlicicnt rmness and tenacity toprevent abrasion-#breaking especially when applied in strips, oryielding to the pressure to which the surfaceis'subjected, underthe-knives. Nor does any other material whatever known, possess thesequalities which insure the utmost perfection and durability of surface.I find that any alloy ot' copper with zinc or other metals, loses moreand more of these indispensable properties, the greater the proportionot`.thc alloying metalor metals combined with the copper; and that,while a small proportion of other metals doesnot very materiallydiminish the full excellence of these qualities, and hence a smalldegree of alloy may be used without bad eil'ect, yet I believe that anyaddition of other metals to the copper, suiicient to perceptibly'changeits properties, isv injurious to. the proper eii'ect. Therefore theindenite mention or'use of4 other alloys or compositions ot metal, orsimple soft metals, for this purpose, since all such known to commerceare untit for this use, as compared with copper, entirely misleads andfails to reach the discovery which I have made, and which I have butrecently fully proved; and consequently, they do not anticipate myinvention founded on this knowledge, now rstmadc known. It is obviousthat, as before stated, it matters not what may be the form of thepressure cylinder to which the copper strips are affixed, for the knifeor knives to cut against, the principle being' the same under allcircumstances; yet, since l have used them upon the flanched cylinderstraw cutters,l will herev describe their application thereto, inconnection with the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 shows a cross-sectionof the pressure cylinder A, with its hanches' a au, and of thecuttingcylinder G, with its knives H H H. I cast the copper in narrowstrips, B B B, of' about .the size and form indicated in this figure andiig. 2, and t them in rabbet grooves, B b b, made in the hanches, sothat clamp-plates, C C C, may be applied flushl against them and thesides of the anches, to hold the strips in place, as between jaws, byscrews, c c c; The outer surfaces of the strips are even with theedges'oi the clamp jaws holding them. The edges of the knives H H H tclose to the surfaces of the strips, or in contact therewith, asindicated in iig. 1. The stripsof copper, after casting, should beannealed, thus taking away any undue' hardness which otherwise theymight possess. They require no n'ish, except to smooth the facesand'adjust them in form-to the edges of the knives which are to cutagainst them. kOther modes of attaching the copper strips'mny headopted; but the above is simple and convenient, and allows readyadjustment and replacement oi' the strips. It is essential, however, nomatter what method of fastening may bc used, that the copper stripsshall rest directly and firmly on the surface of the cylinder. Anotherimportant consideration is to be observed in the use of thecopper-pressure surfaces. It is necessary that the knife'cylindcr andpressure cylinder should be geared together, as indicated in fig. 1, thetwo lgear-wheels D E thereon being of equal size. This makes the knivescut always on the same line upon the faces of the strips, and they thussoon cause the line of contact or cut on saidl surface to conform totheirredges, so that there is no danger of injuring the edges of theknives; and much less poweris required to drive the cutter, since thereis no unneces- Isary pressure anywhere acting as a brake upon themovement. Not onlyis copper the only material that has vthe properqualities for a long-enduring pressure surface, as above explained, butit is also exceedingly cheap and economical, 'for a very narrow and thinstrip sutiices, and hence the first cost' is but triiling. Besides, itwears many years Without requiring replacement, when the knife Aandpressure cylinders are gearedA together, whereas -any other materialwhich' can be used, such as rawhide, Aor other soft metals, soon wearsaway, or requires repairs or removal. The copper is also proof againsttheiveather and dampness,l so destructive of raw` hide facings. Theknives and copper-faced hanches are Aarranged upon their respectivecylinders in spiral form, as shown inthe drawings, so that only a partof the knife edge will be brought in contactwiththe copper facing at onetime. The amount or degree of spiral may be varied, but it never shouldbe so little that more than one-fourth of the length of the knife can bebrought in contact with th'e` copper at once. Although I am not awarethat, previous to my invention,'c'opper oi-,any alloy of copper has everbeenpused in straw-cutters for the knves't lcut againstfand believemyself to be the first to discover and make known its'advantages forthis purpose, yet I shall confine my claim to the use of strips ofcopper, or a suitable alloy thereof, to cut against,

lwhen the knife and pressure surface cylinders orshafts are gearedtogether, or so arranged in connection with each other that the knifeedges and pressure surfaces shall move at equal speed, since I havefound that in this way only-'can the invention be made of practicalutility; `but when so arranged, the copper is superior to any othermaterial for the purpose known to me therefore,

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by- LettersPatent,.is

A revolvingpressurecylinder, Whosepressure surfaces are faced with ormade of strips of copper, or some alloy thereof possessing equivalentproperties, in combination with and geared to a revolving'cuttercylinder or shaft, substantially as and for the purpose herein setforth. i

I alsoclaim a spiral or obliquenlanged-pressure cylinder, faced withcopper, in combination with a revolving knife-cylinder, substantially asdescribed. I

In VWitness that the above isa true specification of my improved strmvcutter, I hereunto set my hand this 16th day of August, 1865. l I AWARREN GALE.

Witnesses:

ANDREW' GALn, J. N. THAYER.

